Prime Minister's Office
English Translation of Prime Minister’s address to the Indian Community in Tokyo, Japan
Bharat Mata Ki Jai,
Bharat Mata Ki Jai,
Every time I visit Japan, I see that your love and affection is growing with time. There are many of you who have been living here for many years. The language of Japan, its dress, culture, food has become a part of your life in a way, and one of the reasons for being a part is that the culture of the Indian community has been always inclusive.But at the same time, the commitment that Japan has towards its tradition, its values, its life on this earth is very deep. And now the two have met. So it is very natural to have a feeling of belongingness.
Friends,
You've been living here, a lot of people have settled down here. I know many have even got married here. But it is also true that even after living for so many years here, your reverence for India is still intact. When there is good news regarding India, you are overwhelmed with happiness. It happens or not? And when some bad news comes, it makes you very sad. These are the attributes of our people, that we get attached to the land where we work, we get deeply connected but never loose contacts with our roots of the motherland and this is our biggest strength.
Friends,
When Swami Vivekananda was going to Chicago for his historic address, he visited Japan before that and Japan had left a deep impression on his mind and heart. The patriotism of the people of Japan, the confidence of the people of Japan, their discipline, the awareness of the people of Japan for cleanliness, Vivekananda had praised it openly. Gurudev Rabindranathi ji Tagore also used to say that Japan is a country which is both ancient and modern at the same time. And Tagore said, "Japan has come out of the immemorial east like a lotus blossoming in easy grace, all the while keeping its firm hold upon the profound depth from which it has sprung”. That is, he wanted to say that Japan is as firmly attached to its roots as a lotus flower. With the same grandeur, it also enhances beauty everywhere. Such pious sentiments of these great men of ours explain the depth of our relationship with Japan.
Friends,
This time when I have come to Japan, we are celebrating seventy years of our diplomatic relations, seven decades. You also must be experiencing yourself while you are here. In India also, everyone feels that India and Japan are natural partners. Japan has played an important role in India's development journey.Our relationship with Japan is of intimacy, spirituality, our relationship with Japan is of cooperation, of belongingness. And so, in a way, this relationship is of our strength, this relationship is of respect. And this relationship is also of a common resolve for the world. Our relationship with Japan is that of Buddha, of wisdom, of knowledge. We have Mahakal, so there is Daikokuten in Japan. We have Brahma, we have Bonten in Japan, our mother is Saraswati and so we have Benzaiten in Japan. Our Mahadevi is Lakshmi, so there are Kichijoten in Japan. So we have Ganesha and Japan has Kangiten. If there is a tradition of Zen in Japan, then we consider meditation as a medium of action with the soul.
Even in the 21st century, we are taking forward these cultural relations of India and Japan with full commitment, and I am the Member of Parliament of Kashi and would like to say with great pride that the former Prime Minister of Japan Abe visited Kashi and he gave a wonderful gift to Kashi, Rudraksh made in collaboration with Japan in Kashi and what was once my workplace, in Ahmedabad, Zen Garden, and kaizen academy are those things that bring us so close. All of you here while in Japan are making this historical bond stronger and stronger.
Friends,
Today's world needs perhaps more than ever to follow the path shown by Lord Buddha. This is the path which is the way to save humanity from every challenge of the world, whether it is violence, anarchy, terrorism or climate change. India is fortunate to have the direct blessings of Lord Buddha. Imbibing his thoughts, India continues to serve humanity. No matter what the challenges are, no matter how big it may be, India is looking for solutions to them. Corona caused the biggest crisis in the world in a hundred years. It's in front of us and when it started, no one knew what will happen next. Initially, it seemed like it is somewhere else. No one knew how to handle this? And there was no vaccine and there was no idea of when the vaccine would come. Even there was doubt on whether the vaccine would come or not. There was an atmosphere of uncertainty all around. Even in those circumstances, India sent medicines to the countries of the world. When the vaccine became available, India provided the Made in India vaccine to crores of its citizens and also to more than hundred countries of the world.
Friends,
India is making unprecedented investments to further improve its health services. Lakhs of new wellness centres are being built in the country to facilitate health facilities even in remote areas. You will also be happy to know that, perhaps you must have heard today that the World Health Organization  has honoured India's ASHA workers, ASHA sisters with the Director General's Global health leader award. Millions of Asha sisters of India are accelerating the country's health campaign from maternal care to vaccination, from nutrition to cleanliness, within the village. Today, I extend my heartfelt congratulations to all our ASHA worker sisters from the soil of Japan. I salute them.
Friends,
How India is helping to meet global challenges today. Another example of this is the environment. Climate change has become an important crisis facing the world today. We have also seen this challenge in India and we have moved forward to find ways to find a solution from that challenge. India has committed Net zero by 2070. We have also led global initiatives such as the International Solar Alliance. Due to climate change, the risk of natural disaster on the world has also increased. Who else can understand the dangers of these disasters and the pollution caused by them more than the people of Japan? Japan has also built the capacity to fight natural disasters. The way the people of Japan have faced these challenges, there is something to be learnt from every problem, solution has been found and systems have also been developed. Individuals have also been trained in that way. This in itself is admirable. In this direction too, India has taken a lead in CDRI .
Friends,
Today, India is also moving very fast for the Green Future, Green Job Clear Roadmap. Electric mobility is being given a wide boost in India. A special mission has been launched to make green hydrogen a substitute for hydrocarbons. Research related to bio-fuel and the construction of infrastructure is being worked out on a very large scale. India has pledged to meet 50 per cent of its total installed power capacity from non-fossil fuel by the end of this decade.
Friends,
This is the confidence of Indians in solving problems. This confidence is visible today in every field, in every direction, at every step. The way global chain supply has been damaged in the last two years, the entire supply chain is in question. Today, it is a very big crisis in itself for the whole world.To avoid such a situation in the future, we are moving forward with the resolve of self-reliance, and it is not that this resolve of self-reliance is only for India. It is also a huge investment for a stable, trusted global supply chain. Today, the whole world is realising that the speed and scale on which India can work is unprecedented.The world is also seeing today that the scale at which India is emphasizing on its infrastructure, institutional capacity building, is also unprecedented. I am glad that Japan is an important partner in building this capacity of ours. Be it Mumbai Ahmedabad High Speed Rail, Delhi Mumbai Industrial Corridor, Dedicated Freight Corridor, these are great examples of India-Japan cooperation.
Friends,
There is one more special thing about the changes that are taking place in India. We have created a strong and resilient, responsible democracy in India. In the last eight years, we have made it a source of positive change in people's lives. Today, those people of our society who never felt pride in being part of the democratic process are also joining the democratic process of India. Every time, the record turnout in every election and in that also our mothers and sisters who are here will be happy, if you look at India's elections carefully, you will notice that more women are voting than men. That is proof of that. How much democracy in India is conscious of the rights of ordinary citizens, how dedicated it is and how powerful it makes every citizen.
Friends,
Along with the basic features, we are also giving a new dimension to India’s aspiration. In India, a system of inclusiveness, leakage proof governance, i.e., a delivery system, making full use of technology, is being expanded so that whoever deserves can get his due without any hassles, without any recommendation, without any corruption and we are fully engaged with it. And this use of technology, this scheme of Direct Benefit Transfer has helped, has protected the rights of our citizens living in forests, especially those living in remote villages of India, in the last two years in this difficult period of Corona.
Friends,
India's banking system has been operating continuously even in these difficult situations and one of the reasons for this is the digital revolution that has come in India. The power that the digital network has created, it is getting this result. And you will be happy to know friends about the digital & cashless transactions all over the world and here in Japan also you must be well acquainted with the technology. But you will be happy, surprised and proud to hear this, out of all the digital transactions taking place in the entire world, 40 percent of them take place in India alone. In the initial days of Corona, when everything was closed, even during the period of that crisis, the Government of India could easily reach out to crores of Indians at once with the help of a click of a button. And for whom the help was intended, he got it, got it on time and he also got the strength to deal with this crisis. In India today people led governance is working in true sense. This model of governance is making delivery efficient. This is the biggest reason for the ever-increasing faith in Democracy.
Friends,
Today when India is celebrating 75 years of independence. Celebrating the Amrit Mahotsav of Independence. So where do we plan to take India in the next 25 years i.e. by 100th year of independence, what heights do we want to attain, today India is busy preparing that roadmap. Friends, this elixir of independence is going to write a lofty history of prosperity of India. I know that these are the resolutions we have taken. These resolutions are huge in themselves. But friends, the upbringing that I have been brought up, the values I have received, the people whom I have sculpted, have also become a habit for me.I do not enjoy carving on butter, I do enjoyit on stone. But friends, the question is not about Modi. Today 130 crore people from India and I am seeing the same in the eyes of the people sitting in Japan, the confidence of 130 crore countrymen, 130 crore resolve, 130 crore dreams and this immense power to fulfil these 130 crore dreams is sure to give result my friends.We will see the India of our dreams. Today India is regaining its lost faith in its civilization, its culture, its institutions. Today, every Indian across the world is talking about India with great pride, with eyes wide open. This change has come. Before coming here today, I have got a chance to see some people who are spending their lives influenced by the greatness of India. And with great pride they were telling things about yoga.They are dedicated to yoga. Even in Japan, there is hardly anyone who has not heard of Yoga. Our Ayurveda, our traditional system of medicine, nowadays our spices are very much in demand from far-off places. People are ordering our turmeric. Not only that, our friends, khadi, otherwise, after independence, it gradually became the costume of leaders. Today it has been revived again.Khadi is becoming global. This is the changing picture of India, friends. As much as today's India is proud of its past, it is equally optimistic about the technology led, science led, innovation led and talent led future. Influenced by Japan, Swami Vivekananda once said that we Indian youth must visit Japan at least once in our life. I do not believe that you people have come to Japan after reading these sentences, but Vivekananda had told the people of India that brother, you must once go and see how is Japan.
Friends,
Taking forward the same goodwill of what Vivekananda ji had said in those days, in line with today's era, I would like to say that every young man of Japan should visit India at least once in his life. You have mesmerized this great land of Japan with your skills, with your talent, with your entrepreneurship. You have to constantly introduce Japan to the colours of Indianness, to the possibilities of India as well. Be it faith or adventure, India is a natural tourist destination for Japan. And so come to India, see India, engage with India, with this resolve I would request every Indian in Japan to engage with it. I am sure that India-Japan friendship will attain new heights with your meaningful efforts.To this wonderful reception and I was looking while coming in, the enthusiasm, the slogans, the enthusiasm all around and the India you are trying to live in yourself, it is really heart-warming. May this love, this affection of yours always remain.You came here in such a large number and I was told that some friends have come here not only from Tokyo but also from outside. I used to visit earlier. Couldn't go this time, you all came here. But I liked the opportunity to meet all of you, I once again thank you all. I express my gratitude from the bottom of my heart. Bharat Mata Ki Jai, Bharat Mata Ki Jai, thank you very much.
DISCLAIMER - This is the approximate translation of Prime Minister’s remarks. Original remarks were delivered in Hindi.